Imaging of biliary involvement in sarcoidosis: Computed tomography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging findings

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease usually affecting the chest, hilar lymph nodes, and lungs, but can potentially involve any organ; therefore, its clinical presentation may vary. Hepato-biliary involvement is rare, and typically asymptomatic; however, it can lead to cirrhosis, and may require liver transplantation. In this report, we present a rare case of a patient affected by sarcoidosis with hepatobiliary involvement. He presented to our hospital complaining of dyspnea triggered by moderate efforts and oppressive thoracic discomfort. Chest X-ray showed multiple bilateral nodular opacities and enlargement of both hilar regions, confirmed by a subsequent total-body computed tomography scan and positron emission tomography, which also revealed cardiac, splenic, and hepatic involvement. Liver function was studied via gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) was also performed. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was finally achieved via liver biopsy, revealing non-necrotizing granulomas in the periportal space. The patient was treated with prednisone per os, with regression of all lesions at all levels. Although other cases of biliary sarcoidosis have been described, this report provides a complete image set of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance and MRCP images that is lacking in the English literature, and which may be useful for diagnosis

L\u2019economia dei due angoli. Agricoltura dinamica nel Nord-Ovest e nel Sud-Est della Sicilia

Due porzioni del territorio siciliano - i due angoli del Nord-Ovest e del Sud-Est - si caratterizzano per la presenza diffusa di attivit\ue0 economiche (le filiere del vitivinicolo e dell\u2019orticolo), che hanno avuto nel passato recente un certo successo di mercato. Questa ricerca ha cercato di comprendere le motivazioni di questo dinamismo, evidenziare similitudini e differenze, combinando dati statistici ed evidenze dirette. Si \ue8 cercato di interpretare e incarnare le statistiche alla luce delle testimonianze e del racconto diretto dei protagonisti, di indagare il peso della dotazione di vantaggi competitivi naturali e di lungo saper fare e quello dell\u2019innovazione intenzionale, di ricostruire le relazioni tra gli attori e la loro capacit\ue0 di interagire con il mercato di riferimento

Electron and ion spectroscopy of azobenzene in the valence and core shells

Azobenzene is a prototype and a building block of a class of molecules of extreme technological interest as molecular photo-switches. We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of its response to irradiation with light across the UV to x-ray spectrum. The study of valence and inner shell photo-ionization and excitation processes combined with measurement of valence photoelectron-photoion coincidence and mass spectra across the core thresholds provides a detailed insight into the site- and state-selected photo-induced processes. Photo-ionization and excitation measurements are interpreted via the multi-configurational restricted active space self-consistent field method corrected by second order perturbation theory. Using static modeling, we demonstrate that the carbon and nitrogen K edges of azobenzene are suitable candidates for exploring its photoinduced dynamics thanks to the transient signals appearing in background-free regions of the NEXAFS and XPS

The electronic structure, surface properties, and in situ N2O decomposition of mechanochemically synthesised LaMnO3

The use of mechanochemistry to prepare catalytic materials is of significant interest; it offers an environmentally beneficial, solvent-free, route and produces highly complex structures of mixed amorphous and crystalline phases. This study reports on the effect of milling atmosphere, either air or argon, on mechanochemically prepared LaMnO3 and the catalytic performance towards N2O decomposition (deN2O). In this work, high energy resolution fluorescence detection (HERFD), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), X-ray emission, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to probe the electronic structural properties of the mechanochemically prepared materials. Moreover, in situ studies using near ambient pressure (NAP)-XPS, to follow the materials during catalysis, and high pressure energy dispersive EXAFS studies, to mimic the preparation conditions, have also been performed. The studies show that there are clear differences between the air and argon milled samples, with the most pronounced changes observed using NAP-XPS. The XPS results find increased levels of active adsorbed oxygen species, linked to the presence of surface oxide vacancies, for the sample prepared in argon. Furthermore, the argon milled LaMnO3 shows improved catalytic activity towards deN2O at lower temperatures compared to the air milled and sol-gel synthesised LaMnO3. Assessing this improved catalytic behaviour during deN2O of argon milled LaMnO3 by in situ NAP-XPS suggests increased interaction of N2O at room temperature within the O 1s region. This study further demonstrates the complexity of mechanochemically prepared materials and through careful choice of characterisation methods how their properties can be understood

3D characterization of CdSe nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes

The crystallographic structure of CdSe nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes has been elucidated by means of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography. CdSe rod-like nanoparticles, grown in solution together with carbon nanotubes, undergo a morphological transformation and become attached to the carbon surface. Electron tomography reveals that the nanoparticles are hexagonal-based with the (001) planes epitaxially matched to the outer graphene layer.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Measurement of hadronic cross section and preliminary results on the pion form factor using the radiative return at DAPHNE

In the fixed energy environment of the $e^{+}e^{-}$ collider DA$\Phi$NE, KLOE can measure the cross section of the process $e^{+}e^{-} \to$ hadrons as a function of the hadronic system energy using the radiative return. At energies below 1 GeV, $e^{+}e^{-} \to \rho \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ is the dominating hadronic process. We report here on the status of the analysis for the e^{+}e^{-} \to \ppg channel, which allows to obtain a preliminary measurement of the pion form factor using an integrated luminosity of $\sim73 pb^{-1}$.Comment: Invited talk at the Seventh International Workshop on Tau Lepton Physics (TAU02-WE07), Santa Cruz, Ca, USA, Sept 2002, 9 pages, LaTeX, 9 eps figure

Measurement of the branching fraction for the decay KS --> pi e nu

We present a measurement of the branching ratio BR(KS --> pi e nu) performed using the KLOE detector. KS mesons are produced in the reaction e+ e- --> phi --> KS KL at the DAFNE collider. In a sample of about 5 million KS-tagged events we find 624 +- 30 semileptonic KS decays. Normalizing to the KS --> pi+ pi- count in the same data sample, we obtain BR(KS --> pi e nu) = (6.91 +- 0.37) 10^-4, in agreement with the Standard Model expectation.Comment: 9 pages, 5 Encapsulated Postscript figures. Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Measurement of the ratio Gamma(K_L -> gamma gamma)/Gamma(K_L -> pi^0 pi^0 pi^0) with the KLOE detector

We have measured the ratio R=Gamma(K_L -> gamma gamma)/ \Gamma(K_L -> 3 pi^0) using the KLOE detector. From a sample of ~ 10^9 phi-mesons produced at DAFNE, the Frascati phi-factory, we select ~ 1.6 10^8 K_L-mesons tagged by observing K_S -> pi^+ pi^- following the reaction e^+ e^- -> phi -> K_L K_S. From this sample we select 27,375 K_L -> gamma gamma events and obtain R = (2.79 \pm 0.02_{stat} \pm 0.02_{syst}) \times 10^{-3}. Using the world average value for BR(K_{L} -> 3 pi^0), we obtain BR(K_{L} -> gamma gamma) = (5.89 \pm 0.07 \pm 0.08) \times 10^{-4} where the second error is due to the uncertainty on the 3 pi^0 branching fraction.Comment: 14 page

Measuring the hadronic cross section via radiative return

Recently it has been demonstrated that particle factories, such as DAPHNE and PEP-II, operating at fixed center-of-mass energies, are able to measure hadronic cross sections as a function of the hadronic system energy using the raditive return. This paper is an experimental overview of the progress in this aera. Preliminary results from KLOE for the process e+e- -> \rho \gamma -> \pi+\pi-\gamma and a fit to the pion form factor are presented. Some first results from the BABAR collaboration are also shown.Comment: Invited talk presented at RADCOR/Loops and Legs 2002, Kloster Banz/Germany, September 8-13 2002, 6 pages, 2 Figures; v1: references added, typos correcte

Measurement of Gamma(phi -> eta' gamma)/Gamma(phi -> eta gamma) and the pseudoscalar mixing angle

We have measured the radiative decays phi -> eta gamma, phi ->etaprime gamma selecting pi+ pi- gamma gamma gamma final state in a sample of about 5 times 10^7 phi mesons produced at the Frascati phi factory DAFNE. We obtain Gamma(phi -> etaprime gamma)/Gamma(phi -> eta gamma)=(4.70 +- 0.47 +- 0.31) times 10^-3. From this result we derive new accurate values for the branching ratio BR(phi ->etaprime gamma) = (6.10 +- 0.61 +- 0.43) times 10^-5, and the mixing angle of pseudoscalar mesons in the flavour basis phi_P=(41.8 +1.9 -1.6) degrees.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.